Mount a soundbar bracket on a dot-and-dab plasterboard wall — HomeGraft

Fit a soundbar bracket securely to your wall, checking wall type and using the right fixing throughout.

SB-01Unpack and check the kitUnpack the bracket and soundbar and check all screws and fixings are included. Read the manufacturer's weight limit for the bracket and confirm your soundbar is within it. Clear the area below the wall and lay down a dust sheet, since drilling makes a mess.

1 each · Dust sheet

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1 each · Soundbar bracket kit

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SB-02Find your stopcock and consumer unit before you drillBefore you drill anything, find your stopcock, usually under the kitchen sink, and check it turns freely so you can shut the water off fast if you hit a pipe. Find your consumer unit and note which breaker covers the room you're working in. If you have any doubt about what's in the wall, isolate that circuit before drilling.

SB-03Work out what's behind your plasterboardTap the wall - a dull, solid sound usually means solid brick or block, or dot-and-dab plasterboard over masonry, while a hollow sound between regular gaps often means a stud wall. Run a magnet or detector across the surface: a line of screw heads every 400-600mm means timber studs, and a magnet sticking to a metal track means metal studs (common in flats and anything built or refitted since the 1990s). Drill a tiny pilot hole at a test point - timber dust means a timber stud, fine steel swarf means metal, and masonry dust means solid wall or dot-and-dab. Older houses with slightly springy, solid-sounding walls may be lath and plaster - thin wooden laths under a plaster coat.

1 each · Stud and cable detector

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1 each · Small magnet

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SB-04Mark and level the bracket positionHold the bracket against the wall at your chosen height and use a spirit level to get it dead straight. Mark each fixing hole through the bracket with a pencil. Double-check the hole spacing matches the soundbar's own mounting points before you drill anything.

1 each · Spirit level

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1 each · Pencil

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SB-05Drill test holes and check for cables and pipesCables and pipes can run almost anywhere in a wall, not just in the usual safe zones, and a detector can miss deep cables, metal conduit, or anything behind metal-backed plasterboard. Sweep each marked point with the detector, but still treat every point as if something is there until you've proved otherwise. If there's any doubt, isolate the circuit at the consumer unit before drilling, and turn the water off at the stopcock before cutting into anything that could carry water. Drill a small pilot hole at each mark first and check what comes out before drilling any further or larger.

1 each · Drill with small pilot bit (3mm)

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SB-06Fit the right fixing for your wallOn dot-and-dab, drill through the plasterboard and the air gap behind the adhesive dabs into the solid masonry, using a fixing long enough to bridge the gap plus at least 40mm of grip in the masonry (typically 60-75mm total) with a matching wall plug. On solid brick or block, drill a 50mm deep hole with a 6-8mm masonry bit and fit a plug and screw rated for the bracket's weight. Into a timber stud, drive a wood screw straight into the centre of the stud - no plug needed. Into a metal stud, never use a plastic wall plug or an ordinary wood screw, as they strip straight through 0.5mm steel - use a self-drilling metal-stud fixing or a toggle-type hollow-wall anchor rated for the load instead. On lath and plaster, fix into a lath where you can, or use a long toggle fixing that spreads the load across the plaster, and test it takes weight before trusting it fully, as old plaster is brittle. A metal stud fixing on its own won't hold anything heavy or anything that gets pulled or knocked hard - if that's your wall, fit a timber noggin between the studs or fix through to the masonry behind instead.

4 each · Masonry wall plugs (mixed sizes)

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4 each · Long fixings for dot-and-dab (75mm)

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4 each · Wood screws (timber stud)

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4 each · Toggle-type hollow-wall anchors (metal stud/plasterboard)

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1 each · Timber noggin (if needed for heavy load)

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SB-07Mount the bracketOffer the bracket up to the wall and insert each fixing, tightening evenly rather than fully driving one before starting the next. Check the bracket sits flat and doesn't rock, and re-check it's level once every fixing is tight.

1 each · Screwdriver or drill driver

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SB-08Attach the soundbar and dress the cablesClip or screw the soundbar onto the bracket following the manufacturer's instructions. Route the power and audio cables neatly down the wall and secure them with cable clips or a slim trunking channel so they don't hang loose.

6 each · Self-adhesive cable clips

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1 each · Cable trunking (1m)

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SB-09Clean up and testVacuum up any dust from drilling and wipe down the wall. Gently push and pull the bracket to check it doesn't move, then plug in and test the soundbar. Turn power and water back on at the consumer unit or stopcock if you isolated either earlier.

1 each · Vacuum cleaner

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